Wireless communications systems and methods using satellite-linked remote terminal interface subsystems
AssigneeMobile Satellite Ventures, LP
InventorPeter D. Karabinis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A satellite gateway is coupled to a communications network and is operative to communicate with a communications satellite. A terrestrial terminal interface subsystem is operative to communicate with the satellite gateway via the communications satellite using a first radio interface and to communicate with terminals over a geographic area using a second radio interface. The communications network may be a wireless communications network, and the satellite gateway is configured to communicate with a base station controller of the wireless communications network, such that the terrestrial terminal interface subsystem may provide one or more satellite-linked terrestrial base stations.
Claims68
A wireless communications system, comprising:
- a satellite gateway coupled to a communications network and operative to communicate with a communications satellite;
- and
- a terrestrial terminal interface subsystem operative to communicate with the satellite gateway via the communications satellite using a first radio interface and to communicate with wireless terminals over a geographic area using a second radio interface.
A terrestrial terminal interface subsystem for a wireless communications system, the subsystem comprising:
- a satellite radio antenna;
- a terrestrial radio antenna;
- and
- an interface converter operative to communicate with a communications satellite via the satellite radio antenna using a first radio interface and to communicate with wireless terminals over a geographic area via the terrestrial radio antenna using a second radio interface.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a satellite gateway operative to communicate with a communications network and to communicate via a communications satellite with a terrestrial terminal interface system that serves wireless terminals in a geographic area.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a communications satellite operative to convey terminal communications between an earth-based communications network and a terrestrial wireless base station that communicates with wireless terminals in a geographic area.
A method of providing communications between a communications network and a plurality of wireless terminals served by a terrestrial base station, the method comprising:
- conveying terminal communications between the communications network and the terrestrial base station via a communications satellite.
An apparatus for providing communications between a communications network and a plurality of wireless terminals served by a terrestrial base station, the apparatus comprising:
- means for conveying terminal communications between the communications network and the terrestrial base station via a communications satellite using a first radio interface;
- and
- means for conveying the terminal communications between the terrestrial base station and wireless terminals using a second radio interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.